Surgical strikes were necessary to teach Pak a lesson: Parkash Singh Badal

JATTWALI: Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today said the surgical strikes by the Army across the LoC were necessary to teach Pakistan a lesson for "back-stabbing India".

Badal visited a relief camp for people from villages near the Indo-Pak border and told them that "India has always been a votary of peace and communal harmony, but Pakistan has always considered it as our weakness".

"Successive Prime Ministers, including Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and now Narendra Modi have worked for promoting peace and brotherhood between the two countries, but Pakistan has always back-stabbed India.

"Pakistan tested India's patience by sponsoring attacks in Mumbai, on the Parliament House, but it crossed all limits by sponsoring the attack on the army base in Uri. That's why the Union government decided to conduct the surgical strikes to give a befitting reply to Pakistan," he said.

The Chief Minister said the border areas could not be developed due to the "frequent threats of war" and the residents have to deal with many problems everyday.

"The state government is duty-bound to extend a helping hand to you people," he said, adding top officials were regularly monitoring the arrangements at the relief camps.

The evacuation of a large number of people residing within 10 kilometres radius of the border was a gigantic task, Badal said